Spoleto, Italy

Spoleto is a beautiful town of about 38,000 people on the slopes of a sacred mountain in the Apennines. It is located in the region of Umbria, 39 miles SE of Perugia and 78 miles N of Rome. Spoleto has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. As a Roman town in the 3rd century BC, it fought off the fierce invader Hannibal. Strategically situated on the ancient Via Flaminia from Rome to Ravenna, Spoleto became the stronghold of many rulers during the Dark Ages. The Lombards made it the capital of their empire in the 8th century; the duke they installed here governed most of central Italy. At the turn of the 12th century, Spoleto fell into papal hands, and its twilight began. Today's Spoleto has two levels: the Lower Town, extensively rebuilt after World War II; and the well-preserved medieval Upper Town. Spoleto contains a number of ancient Roman and medieval sacred sites - in addition to the Duomo, with Filippo Lippi's last fresco cycle, there are many Romanesque churches and a Roman theater, now restored and once again in use.

The lovely Duomo di Spoleto dates from the 12th century. It features a fine Romanesque facade, magnificent frescoes by Fra Filippo Lippi and others, and a handwritten letter from St. Francis of Assisi.

Reached by a shady 2km walk out of town, this medieval church is famed for its facade sculptures. Illustrating biblical stories and medieval themes, they are among the best Romanesque carvings in Umbria.